Los Angeles Title Insurance v. City of Los Angeles

From the complaint in this action it appears that the city council of the city of Los Angeles adopted an ordinance providing for licensing and regulating the carrying on of certain professions, trades, callings, and occupations. It was provided in the ordinance that on and after January 1, 1920, it shall be unlawful for any person, etc., to carry .on any of said occupations without having first procured a license from the city so to do. Certain fees are to be paid for each license. Among the businesses specified is that of searching titles to real property and issuing abstracts, statements, or certificates purporting to show the condition of the title to any particular property, “but which abstract, statement, or certificate does not insure or purport to insure the title to real property, or any interest therein.” Violation of the provisions of the ordinance is made a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment in the city jail for • a period of not more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. ‘‘ Each such person, firm or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for every day during any portion of which…